Garment and like pressing machine



May 5, 1942. T. H. OBRlEN GARMENT AND LIKE PRESSING MACI lI NE 4Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Ot. 19, 1958 May 5, 1942. T. H. OBRIEN I GARMENTAND LIKE PRESSiNG MACHINE Filed Oct. 19, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORMay 5, 1942- T. H. OBRIEN GARMENT AND LIKE PRESSING MACHINE Filed Oct.19, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet s 4| a INVENTOR.

i: QQmA W L L L Fig.7.

May 5, 1942.

4 She ets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 19, 1958 lNVENTOR Patented May 5, 1942GARMENT AND LIKE PRESSIN G MACHINE Terence Her-riot OBrien,

signor to Isaac Braithwaite & Son Engineers- Limited, Kendal, EnglandKendal, England, as-

Application- October 19, 1938, Serial -N0. 23 5,839 In Great BritainOctober 28, 1-937 Claims.

The invention relates to power operatedga-rment pressing machines of thetype in which a swivelling pressing head is carried by an arm mounted ona fulcrum shaft journalled in the frame and is brought into operation orpressing contact with a stationary buck or pad.

The object of the invention is to provide a pressing machine of theaforesaid type and particularly when operated by hydraulic means wherebya small pressure will be exerted during the movement of the pressinghead into or almost into contact with the buck and a greatly increasedpressure will be exerted during the final pressing operation.

The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus part in section.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation ing the head full open.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the head I closed to withinapproximately one inch of the buck 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing the head i fully closed in contactwith the buck 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan through cylinderand piston slide valve online 5-5 Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of pumping unit detached.

Fig. 7 is a wiring diagram for solenoid.

The swivelling head I, the buck 2 the arm 3 by which the head I' iscarried and the fulcrum shaft 4 journalled in bearings 5 of the frameare of conventional or known form.

In carrying out the invention a pair of cams or cam levers A are securedto the fulcrum shaft 4 one at either side of the frame, each cam leverbeing constructed with a face a concentric with the shaft 4 and a face aradial or at an angle thereto. Below the cam levers A an hydrauliccylinder H is mounted with piston H and piston rod J projecting upwardsthe cylinder H being bolted inside an oil sump H from which oil ispumped into the cylinder through the pipe D and into which it returnsthrough the exhaust ports.

A filbore or guide block K is attached to the piston rod J of the pistonH and carries a stud on the ends of which are mounted two rollers Lworking in vertical guideways M to take any lateral thrust and maintainthe piston rod J vertical. A pair of connecting links N are pivoted byone end to the filbore K and by the other end at a point intermediateits length to a transverse differential lever 0 thus, connecting of theapparatus showthelever ,0 with thepiston rod J and transmit tingthe-movement of the piston thereto.

A pair of rollers P are mounted one at each end of a spindle atone endof the differential lever O to engage the underside of the concentriccam faces a of the cam levers A. A second pair of rollers R engagingrespectively the vertical faces of a pair of guide ways S are mounted onthe same spindleas the pair of rollers P so that the rollers? can onlyacquire a vertical and parallelmotion due to any pressure on the pistonH. The other end of thelever O is connected by an adjustable connectingrod T with the cam lever A at a Thus the initial upward movement of thepiston H moves the outer end of the lever O and connecting rod T upwardwhile the other end remains stationary the rollers P resting againsttheconcentricsurface a and acting as a fulcrum to the lever O. Theinitial upward movement of the lever 0. causes the cam levers A thefulcrum shaft 4. andthe arm 3 to rock about their centre to bring thehead I downwards towards the buck 2. When the head I and buck 2 arealmost incontact- (say about one inch apart) the pair of rollers P-reachthe end of the concentric cam facesa (see Fig. 3') and further movementupwards of the piston H brings the rollers P 01f theconcentric face a onto the radial or inclined face a (see Fig. 4) allowing the rollers R torise in theirguide-way S, the face a being at this pointslightlyinclined to the vertical. As the rollers P rideup the face a acomparatively small pressure on the piston H is transformed into asubstantiallyincreased horizontal thrust due to the rollers R compellingthe rollers P to move verticallyagainst the inclined faces a of the camlevers and so force thev head I, and buck 2 tightly together. Any wearof the padding on the head I orbuck 2 .is. compensated for by additionalmovementlof the two pairs of rollers P and R up the faces a Hydraulicpressure is transmitted to the piston H by a centrifugalimpeller B in apump casing D directly coupled to an electro-motor 0 oil being deliveredunder pressure through a piston slide valve G' (see Fig. 5) whichcontrols a num ber of ports admitting oil either to the bottom or top ofthe piston H. Oil is delivered to an inletport, E and distributedalong atransfer port F to ail-annular clearance between the shoulders of thepiston slide valve G. The position of the slide valve determines whetherthe oil pressure is delivered to the top of the piston H or to thebottom-of the piston H. When supplying oil to the topv ofthe pistonI-Lthe oil is delivered along the transfer port F to the cylinder portcommunicating with the top of the piston, and the exhaust port is indirect communication with the port communicating with the bottom of thecylinder H The oil from the bottom of the cylinder H is thereforeejected to the sump H through the ports for re-circulation through thesystem.

, The exhaust port communicating with the top 1 of the cylinder isclosed by the piston slide valve, as is also the inlet to the annularrecess from the transfer port to the bottom cylinder port.

When the piston slide valve G is moved to supply oil to the underside ofthe piston H, the inlet the piston valve G to the position to admit oilto the underside of the piston H to lower the press head I to itsworking position, and when the solenoid is de-energised the weight ofthe solenoid plunger or its equivalent will return the piston valve G tothe position to admit oil to the top of the piston H when the oilpressure thereon will return the head I to its open position. Thespindle g of the piston slide valve is connected to the spindle of thesolenoid.

The solenoid is controlled by push buttons and contact I 2 3 andcontacts 4* shown on the wiring diagram Fig. '7. Two contacts l and 3remain open when the press is open or out of use and in order to closethe circuit and energise the solenoid both buttons I and 3 must bepressed. When the circuit is closed the oil pressure is delivered to theunderside of the piston, the press is closed, and at a point immediatelybefore the contacting position of the head I and buck 2 the pair ofelectric contacts 4 will come together and maintain the solenoid in anenergised condition thereby maintaining the pressure on the underside ofthe piston H after the two buttons I and 3 are released by the operator.The contacts l and 3 are so positioned as to require both hands of theoperator preventing possibility of the operators hands becoming trappedunder the falling head. The pressing of the button and breaking thecontact 2 deenergises the solenoid, causing the solenoid plunger tofall, thus bringing the piston valve G into such a position that the oilpressure is transmitted to the top of the piston H causing the head I torise. During closure of the head I, should the point at which contacts 4engage not be reached, when the operator releases either of the twoclosing buttons I or 3 the solenoid will become de-energised and thepiston valve will again move to a position as to cause the oil pressureto operate on top of the piston, thus raising the head I.

In operation when the rollers P reach the inclined surface a of the camlever A the contacts 4 are closed by a contact on the moving arm 3 andmaintain the solenoid in an energised condition, thereby maintaining thepressure on the underside of the piston H, after the two buttons I and 3are released by the operator. When the pressing operation is finishedthe button Z is depressed the solenoid circuit is broken, the sole- I15pressure is then admitted to:

noid becomes tie-energised, solenoid plunger it turns the piston valve Gto the normal position and the piston H descends under the influence ofpressure on the upper surface of the piston H. During this descent ofthe piston H, the rollers P are withdrawn down the inclined faces a ofthe cam levers A, the rollers R fall in the slides S and come in contactwith a stop U preventingthem from descending further. At this point theconcentric faces a of the cam levers A are capable of sweeping over thetop of the pair of rollers P and as the piston H continues to descendthe differential lever 0 will swing the cam levers round to raise thehead I away from the buck 2.

A tie rod V is connected from the upper ends of the guide-ways M and Sto the press framing to stiffen the guide-ways against deflection due tothe pressure exerted by the wedging action of the rollers P against theinclined faces a of the cam levers A.

The cam levers A are virtually integral with the pressing head Iadjustment being provided to ensure that contact between the head I andthe buck 2 can be assured at the precise moment when the pair of rollersP are moving up the inclined faces a of the cam levers. When the settingof the cam levers A has been made by screw or other adjustment the headarm 3 and the cam levers are locked together.

The piston is preferably operated by oil as the pressure medium suppliedfrom a sump H to the intake of a centrifugal pump D and returned fromthe exhaust of the working cylinder H to the sump through the pipe D Thecentrifugal pump D may be driven mechanically from any source of power.Or any type of pump may be substituted for a centrifugal impeller.

What I claim as my invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a garment pressing machine of the type in which a swivellingpressing head is carried by an arm secured on a fulcrum shaft journalledin the frame of the machine and is brought into pressing contact with a.stationary buck, the combination with the pressing head of a cam shapedlever afiixed on the fulcrum shaft and having two faces, one concentricwith the fulcrum shaft and the other inclined to the first face andproviding a cam surface, a connecting rod pivoted at one end on the camlever by which the latter is oscillated to impart movement to thefulcrum shaft to actuate the pressing head, a pivot on the other end ofthe connecting rod, a differential lever pivotally mounted at one end onsaid pivot, a roller carried by the other end of the differential leverand engaging the faces of .the cam lever, means to constrain the linearmovement of the roller and therefore of the end of the differentiallever. to a vertical direction, a link pivoted at one end to thedifferential lever at a point intermediate of the ends of the latter andmeans connected to the other end of the link for imparting a linearmovement thereto to cause a movement to be imparted through thedifferential lever to the connecting rod to actuate the pressing head,the face of the cam lever concentric with the fulcrum shaft being ofsuch a length that the roller carried by the differential lever remainsin contact therewith until the pressing head has almost engaged the buckwhereby the roller will not move in a linear direction and the end ofthe differential lever to which it is attached will remain stationaryuntil the pressing head has nearly engaged the buck, the movementimparted to the differential lever by the link during such period of theoperation being an oscillatory one about theaxis of the-roller, and theother face of the cam lever being at such angle to the first face thatit will be at an inclination to the vertical when the pressing head hasalmost engaged the buck whereby when the roller passes from one face tothe other, since its movement is limited to a vertical direction, itwill exert a lateral pressure on the cam lever which pressure will beconsiderably in excess of the force exerted through the differentiallever and connecting rod for actuating the cam lever and pressing headduring the movement of the latter from its open position until almost inengagement with the buck.

2. In a garment pressing machine of the type in which a swivellingpressing head is carried by an arm secured on a fulcrum shaft journalledin the frame of the machine and is brought into pressing contact with astationary buck, the combination with the pressing head of a cam shapedlever affixed on the fulcrum shaft and having two faces, one concentricwith the fulcrum shaft and the other inclined to the first face andproviding a cam surface, a connecting rod pivoted at one end on the camlever by which the latter is oscillated to impart movement to thefulcrum shaft to actuate the pressing head, a pivot on the other end ofthe connecting rod, a differential lever pivotally mounted at one end onsaid pivot, a roller carried by the other end of the differential leverand engaging the faces of the cam lever, a second roller also carried onthe end of the differential lever adjacent to the first roller, avertical guideway in which the second roller moves thereby constrainingthe movement of the first roller and the end of the differential leveron which it is mounted to a vertical direction, a link pivoted at oneend to the differential lever at a point intermediate of the endsconnected to the other end of the link for imparting a linear movementthereto to cause a movement to be imparted through the differentiallever to the connecting rod to actuate the pressing head, the face ofthe cam lever concentric with the fulcrum shaft being of such a lengththat the roller carried by the differential lever remains in contacttherewith until the pressing head has almost engaged the buck wherebythe roller will not move in a linear direction and the end of the rdifferential lever to which it is attached will remain stationary untilthe pressing head has nearly engaged the buck, the movement imparted tothe differential lever by the link during such period of the operationbeing an oscillatory one about the axis of the roller, and the otherface of the cam lever being at such angle to the first face that it willbe at an inclination to the vertical when the pressing head has almostengaged the buck whereby when the first roller passes from one face tothe other, since its movement is limited to a vertical direction, itwill exert a lateral pressure on the cam lever which pressure will beconsiderably in excess of the force exerted through the diiferentiallever and connecting rod for actuating the cam lever and pressing headduring the movement of the latter from its open position until almost inengagement with the buck.

3. In a garment pressing machine of the type in which a swivellingpressing head is carried by an arm secured on a fulcrum shaft journalledin the frame of the machine and is brought into pressing contact with astationary buck, the combination With the pressing head of a cam shapedof the latter and means Iii lever affixed on the fulcruinshaftand havingtwo faces, one concentricwith the fulcrum shaft and the other inclinedto the first face and extending from one .end thereof toward the'fulcrumshaft to provide a cam surface, a connectingrod pivoted at one end onthe cam lever by which the latter is oscillated to impart movement tothe fulcrum shaft to actuate the pressing head, a pivot on the other endof the connecting rod, a differential lever pivotally mounted at one endon said pivot, a roller carried by the other end of the differentiallever and engaging the faces of the cam lever, a second rolleralsocarried on the end of the differential lever adjacent to the firstroller, a vertical guideway in Which the second roller moves therebyconstraining the movement of the first roller and the end of thedifferential lever on which it is mounted to a vertical direction, alink pivoted at one end to the difierential lever at a I pointintermediate of the ends of the latter, an

hydraulic cylinder, a piston therein and piston rod affixed thereto andconnected to the other end of said link the movement of the pistonWithin the cylinder being transmitted by the piston rod and link throughthe differential lever and connecting rod to actuate the pressing head,the face of the cam lever concentric with the fulcrum shaft being ofsuch a length that the first roller carried by the differential leverremains in contact therewith until the pressing head has almost engagedthe buck whereby the first roller will not move in a linear directionand the end of the differential lever to which it is attached willremain stationary until the pressing head has nearly engaged the buck,the movement imparted to the differential lever by the link, during suchperiod of the operation beingan oscillatory one about the axis of thefirst roller, and the other face of the cam lever being at such angle tothe first face that it will be at an inclination to the vertical whenthe pressing head has almost engaged the buck whereby when the firstroller passes from one face to the other, since its movement is limitedto a vertical direction, it will exert a lateral pressure on the camlever which pressure will be considerably in excess of the force exertedthrough the differential lever and connecting rod for actuating the camlever and pressing head during the movement of the latter from its openposition until almost in engagement with the buck.

4. In a garment pressing machine of the type in which a swivellingpressing head is carried by an arm secured on a fulcrum shaft journalledin the frame of the machine and is brought into pressing contact with astationary buck, the combination with the pressing head of a cam shapedlever afiixed on the fulcrum shaft and having two faces, one concentricwith the fulcrum shaft and the other inclined to the first face, aconnecting rod pivoted at one end on the cam lever by which the latteris oscillated to impart move ment to the fulcrum shaft to actuate thepressinig head, a pivot on the other end of the connecting rod, adifferential lever pivotally mounted at one end on said pivot, a rollercarried by the other end of the differential lever and engaging thefaces of the cam lever, a second roller also carried on the end of thedifferential lever adjacent to the first roller, a vertical guideway inwhich the second roller moves thereby constraining the movement of thefirst roller and the end of the differential lever on which it ismounted to a vertical, direction, a link pivoted at one end to thedifferential lever at a point intermediate of the ends of the latter, anhyvalve controlling the draulic cylinder, the centric with the fulcrumshaft being of such a length that the roller carried by the differentiallever remains in contact therewith until the 1 an oscillatory one aboutclination to the vertical when roller passes from one its movement islimited I will exert a lateral pressure on the cam lever which pressurewill be considerably in excess of draulic cylinder, a piston therein anda piston rod afiixed thereto and connected to the other end of said linkthe movement of the piston within the cylinder being rod and linkthrough transmitted by the piston the differential lever and actuate thehead and a slide supply of fluid to the hyface of the cam leverconconnectingrod to pressing head has almost engaged the buck 1 wherebythe roller will not move in a linear direction and the end of thedifferential lever to 1 which it is attached will remain stationaryuntil the pressure exerted through the differential lever and connectingrod for actuating the cam j the movement of lever and pressing headduring the latter from its open position until almost in engagement withthe buck.

5. In a garment pressing machine of the type in which a swivellingpressing head is carried by an arm secured on a fulcrum shaft journalledin the frame of the machine and is brought into pressing contact withthe stationary buck the combination with the pressing head of a pair ofcam shaped levers affixed on the fulcrum shaft, one at each side of themachine, each cam lever having two faces, one concentric with thefulcrum shaft and the other inclined to the first face, a connecting rodpivotally connected at one end to the cam levers by which the latter arelever being at such the faces of the other cam ate-2,264

oscillated to impart movement to the fulcrum shaft to actuate thepressing head, a pivot on the other. end of the connecting rod, adifierential lever pivotally mounted at one end on the said pivot, apair of rollers mounted on the other end of the differential lever, oneroller engaging the faces of one cam lever and the other roller lever,means to constrain the linear movement of the rollers and therefore ofthe end of the differential lever to a vertical movement, a link pivotedat one end to the differentiallever at a point intermediate the ends ofthe latter and means connected to the othervend of the link forimparting a linear movement thereto to cause .a movement to be impartedthrough the differential lever to the connecting rod to actuate thepressing, head, the faces of the cam levers concentric with the fulcrumshaft being of such a length that the rollers carried by thedifferential levers remain in contact therewith until the pressing headhas almost engaged the buck whereby the rollers will not move in alinear direction and the end of the differential lever to which they areattached will remain stationary until the pressing head is nearlyclosed, the movement imparted to the differential lever by the linkduring such periodof the operation being an oscillatory one about theaxis of the roller, and the other faces of the cam levers being at suchangle to the first faces that they will be at an inclination to thevertical when the pressing head has almost engaged the buck whereby whenthe rollers pass from one face to the other, since their movement islimited to a vertical direction, they will exert a lateral pressure onthe cam levers which pressure will be considerably in excessv of thepressure exerted through the differential lever and connecting rod foractuating the cam lever and pressing head during the movement of thelatter from its open position until almost in engagement with the buck.

TERENCE HERRIOT OBRIEN.

